Cut-off gate and spout for discharge-chutes.



F. E. ARNUT.

CUT-OFF GATE AND SPOUT FOR DlSCHARGE CHUTES.

APPLlCATlON FILED APR.8| 1914.

115% 1 m mm Patented. Apr. 20, 1915.

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F. E. ARNDT.

CUT-OFF GATE AND SPOUT FOR DISCHARGE CHUTES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1914. mwmsmm Patented Apr.20,1915.

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FRANKLIN E. ARNLD'I', 0F GALIQN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GALION IRON WORKS AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF GALION, OHIO.

CUT-OFF GATE AND SPOU'I FOR DISCHARGE-CHUTES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2t), 1915.

Application filed April 8, 191%. Serial No. 830,469.

To all whm/t it may concern:

' Be it known that I, FRANKLIN E. Armor. citizen of the United States, residing at (lalion, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cut-Off Gates and Spouts for Discharge-Chutes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to unloading mechanism wherein a chute is employed, and particularly to means for controlling the discharge of material from-said chute.

In the form of unloading mechanism on which my device is an improvement, there is provided a chute whose discharge end is controlled by means of a pivoted spout. There is also provided a bucket into which the spout discharges, and in order to permit the upward movement of the bucket and at the same time out oif the discharge of material from the spout, the spout is turned upward. It has been found in practice that this pivoted spout becomes clogged by the material discharged into it by the chute and is very often prevented from being lifted up, and furthermore while the spout is being turned to its upward position, the material in the chute is liable to dribble from the spout thus causing a waste of the material. It has also been found that it is difficult for the operator to gage the precise moment at which the spout should be turned in order to cut oil' the flow of material from said spout. If the spout is turned too soon, the bucket will not be properly filled, and if the operator waits until the bucket is filled before turning up the spout, too much material is liable to flow into the bucket. Furthermore, if the spout is jammed in its downwardly turned position or its upward movement impeded, the spout will prevent the upward movement of the bucket and is liable to be broken. I

The object oi my invention is to obviate these diflicultics by providing in conjunction with the pivoted spout before named, an independently operable cut-oil".

A further object of the invention is to so construct the cut-off that it will be rigid in use, will not bend or break, and will be so constructed that it may be easily passed through material such as coal, gravel or broken rock. I

Still another'object of the invention is to form this cut-oil in a Very simple manner and provide it with guides wherein it is operable, the guides being so formed that the chance of damage to the spout will be minimized.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my discharge chute controlling apparatus, part of the hoisting mechanism and the bin into which the bucket'discharges, the ground below the bin being in section to show the pit. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the forward end of the chute, the levers whereby the controlling spout and cut-oil are operated and the frame for supporting said levers. Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 3--3 of Fig. '2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the forward end of the discharge chute.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

I have illustrated in the drawings my improvements as applied to an unloading and hoisting mechanism such as is illustrated in detail, and fully described in my pending application, Serial No. 830,470, filed simultaneously herewith. This unloading and hoisting mechanism is designed to be used with tracks over which dumping cars run. these tracks being designated 2. At a suitable point alongside the tracks there is provided a bin 3 supported upon posts 4 or in any other suitable manner and of any suitable construction. Disposed beneath the tracks 2 is the chute 5 which extends downward and toward the bin and whose inclined bottom discharges into a pit 7. A hoisting mechanism is connected to a bucket 8, this hoisting mechanism being of such a character that the bucket may be hoisted and dumped into the bin and then returned to its original position in the bottom of the pit. The particular form of hoisting means and particular form of bucket forms no part of my present invention and therefore the hoisting mechanism and the bucket need no further detailed description.

The bottom of the chute 5 extends somewhat into the pit 7 and the front end of the chute is partially closed by a vertical wall 9. This wall is formed of a sheet of metal 10 which is flanged at its ends as at 11 and riveted to the side walls of the chute. A second sheet of metal 12 is disposed parallel to and in spaced relation to the sheet 10 and is likewise flanged at its ends and riveted to the side walls of the chute. This front wall which is formed by the two sheets of metal 10 and 12 extends down from the top ot the chute to av suitable distance from the bottom thereof, the space between the lower edge of the end wall and the bottom forming a discharge opening designated 13.

The cut-oil 14 which operates between the sheet metal plates 10 and 12has a height considerably greater than the height of the opening 13 and has a width equal to the width of the opening 13. This cut-01f 14 is preferably made of a vertically corrugated sheet of metal, the corrugations having a depth approximately equal to the space between the plates 10 and 12 so that the crestof alternate corrugations will bear upon the plates 10 and 12 and thus hold the gate from any lateral play while permitting it to easily slide between the guides formed by the plates 10 and 12. A rod 15 extends downward against the plate 14 and is nested within one of the corrugations, the upper end of the rod being formed with an eye and being connected through this eye to a link 16. This link 16 is loosely connected to a lever 17. A frame 18 is provided comprising the laterally disposed upwardly extending standards 19 and 20. The lever 17 is pivoted to the standard 20 and extends beyond the standard 19. A hook 21 or other support is formed upon the standard 19 upon which the lever rests when the lever is raised.

The standards 19 and 20 at their lower ends are connected by transverse boards 22 hingedly connected at 23 to a base-board Q-t which is adapted to rest upon the upper faces of the ties on which the track 2 is mounted. It will be seen that by depressing the lever 17, the cut-off will be depressed so as to close the discharge opening 13 and that by raising the lever, the cut-otl' is lifted to expose the discharge opening.

Pivoted to the lower end of the chute 5 is the U-shaped spout 25. This spout is ap' proximately U-shaped in cross section and at its rear end is braced by a transverse angle iron 26. As illustrated in Fig. 1. the s 'iout when turned down extends nearly to the middle of the pit 7 and discharges into the middle of the bucket 8 when the bucket is in the bottom of the pit. When this spout is turned upward to the position shown in Fig. 4, the bottom of the spout extends at right angles to the bottom of the chute 5 so as to permit the bucket when it is drawn upward and laterally to clear the spout.

For the purpose of operating the spout, 1 provide the lever 27 which is pivoted upon the upper end of the upright 20 and which is adapted to engage over the hook 28 formed upon the upright 19. A yoke 29 is pivotally connected to the forward end of the spout and is in turn connected to a link 30 which at its upper end is loosely connected by means of the U bolts 81 to the lever 27. Thus by lifting the lever upward, the spout may be raised to its closed position and by lowering the lever the spout may be dropped to its discharging position.

The operation oi my invention will be obvious from what has gone before. \Vhcn a bucket has been lowered into the bottom of the pit 7, the bucket being guided into proper position by the inclined wall 7 oi the pit, the spout '25 is first lowered to its discharging position and then the cut-ott' gate 11 raised. The contents of the chute will now be discharged from the spout into the bucket. lVhen the operator sees that the bucket is nearly filled. he lowers the cutoff gate thus cutting off the further discharge of material into the spout and then raises the spout permitting the bucket to be raised. The spout remains raised of course until the bucket is returned to its position in the bottom of the pit whereupon the open ation is repeated.

It will be noted that the frame composed of the members 19, 20 and the boards 22 is hinged to the base member 24. The boards 22 act as a partition when the frame in a vertical position, preventing crushed stone coal or other material being discharged from the cars from rolling into the pit 7. \Vhcn, however. the cars are being switched or reset. the frame may be turned down into position over the pit thus not only getting this frame out of the way. but covering the pit and forming a platform over it.

It will be noted that the corrugated cutoff permits the hinged or pivoted spout to be operated freely after the flow oi material has been cut oil. and that inasmuch as the flow of material has been cut of? prior to the complete filling of the bucket, the comparatively little material which will remain in the spout after the closing of the cut-oll' will only act to fill the bucket and that therefore there will be no excess of material which will drop into the bottom oi the pit and tend to till it.

The use of a corrugated plate for l'orming the cut-oil has a number of advantages. The vertical corrugations stitl'cn the plate in the direction, of" its operation. At the same time the. corrugations ol' the plate pcrmit the plate to lit around particles of coarse gravel or the pieces otli broken rock or coal forming the material through which the gate passes. It the plate were straight and not corrugated. pits of? rock or like material which were disposed immediately beneath the gate would block its downward course but the sinuous curve of the corrugated metal tends to wedge these pieces out of the way and the corrugations in practice work through the interspaces between the pieces of rock or coal. A further advantage lies in the fact that the crests of the corrugations contact on each side with the plates 10 and '12 as heretofore described and thus these plates act to guide the gate without however causing the gate to bind. If the plate llwerc llat, the guides would have to lit the plate relatively snugly and there would be great liability to bind. This is overcome by the use of the corrugated plate. By using a corrugated plate, the necessity of bracing the plate 1t is done away with and thus the plate may be very simply and cheaply made.

It will be'scen that the frame supporting the levers and supporting the boards is held in a vertical position by means of the braces 33 which are pivoted to the ends of the frame and engage pins 32 projecting from the sides of the pit.

My improved mechanism is found to be very advantageous as a means for unloading material such as crushed stone, coal, etc., from the cars and elevating it into a bin where it may remain until discharged into wagons. The mechanism is such that it may be easily controlhul by one or two operators and it is so simple that there is nothing to get out oi order. By the use of the combined spout and cut-oft, none of the material being loaded will scatter into the bottom of the pit and this is particularly important as other a great deal of time is lost in clearing out the pit and keeping it free from lumps of material so that the bucket may move downward to the bottom of the pit and be supported in proper position to receive the material. Furthermore, by the use of the combined cut-off and spout. it is possible to till the bucket to its capacity without any danger of the contents oi the bucket overflowing into the pit. When merely a spout is used, there is liability of the operator either filling the bucket too full so that it overflows or not filling the bucket to caparity. In either case, time is lost.

\Vhat I claim is:

'1. The combination with a. discharge. chute. of a spout pivotally connected to the discharge end of the chute and rotatable in a vertical plane. spaced guide plates disposed at the discharge end oi. the chute and closing the upper portion oi the same. a sliding cut-oft disposed between said plates, and means for independently operating the cutoil and the spout.

2. The combination with a discharge chute, ot a vertically sliding cut-oft therefor disposed at the discharge end of the chute, said cut-oil consisting of a vertically corrugated plate.

3. The combination with a discharge chute, of vertically disposed spaced plates located at the discharge end of the chute, and a cut-oil" disposed and movable between said plates. the cut-ofi' being \GltlCt lly corrugated. the depth of the corrugations beiug approximately equal to the space between said plates.

4. The combination with a. discharge chute. of transversely extending spaced plates disposed vertically across its discharge end. the lower edges of the plates being spaced above the bottom of the chute, a spout pivoted to the chute at the discharge end thereof outward of said plates, a vertically corrugated cut-oft plate disposed between the spaced plates and movable vertically therein. the depth of the. corrugations of said cut-off being approximately equal to the space between tne plates, and means for independently operating either the spout or the cut-off.

The combination with a discharge chute, of a frame supported above the discharge end of the chute comprising a. basal portion and upright posts, transversely extending spaced guide plates disposed at the discharge end of the chute below said frame, a vertically corrugated cut-oft movable between said plates and guided thereby, a spout pivoted to the chute at the discharge end thereof outward of said cut-ofi', levers mounted upon one of said posts, supports on the posts for holding the levers in a raised position, and links connecting said levers respectively with the cut-off and spout.

6. In an apparatus of the characted described, the combination with a chute, of a spout pivotally connected to the discharge end or the chute and adapted to be rotated in a vertical plane, acut-oil disposed inward of said spout and vertically movable. a supporting frame disposed above the discharge chute, and means on the supporting frame for independently operating the spout and the cut-oii.

7. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the coml'iination with a chute open at its top and discharging at one end. of a spout pivoted to the end of the chute for vertical movement, spaced guide plates extending transversely across the chute and disposed above the bottom thereof at the discharge end. a vertically corrugated cutoff movable between said guide plates, the corrugations of said cut-oii' being equal to the space between said plates. a frame mounted above the discharge end of the chute, a. base plate to which said frame is hinged for vertical movement, a vertical partition carried by said frame, and levers mounted upon said frame and opcratively connected to the spout and cut-cit.

8. The combination with a chute, of spaced guide plates extending across the upper portion of the outlet end of the chute, a vertically movable gate slidably mounted between said plates and provided on its opposite faces with vertically disposed projections bearing upon said guide plates, and means for operating said gate.

9. The combination with a chute, of spaced guide plates extending across the upper portion of the outlet end of the chute, a vertically movable gate slidably mounted between said guide plates and provided on its opposite faces with vertically disposed projections bearing upon the guide plates, the projections on one face of the gate alternating with the projections on the opposite face thereof, and means for operating said gate.

10. The combination with a chute, of spaced guide plates extending across the up per portion of the outlet end of the chute, a vertically movable gate slid-ably mounted between said guide plates and provided on its opposite faces with vertically disposed projections bearing upon the guide plates, said projections extending the full height of the gate and the projections on one side of the gate being disposed alternately with the projections on the opposite side thereof, and means for operating said gate.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT. 

